Would and Used to – English Grammar Test for B2
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Reading Passage
When I think back to my childhood, I can clearly remember the small town where I grew up. It was a quiet place surrounded by green hills and clear rivers. There used to be a little bakery on the corner that sold warm bread every morning. People would line up early, and the smell of fresh bread filled the air. My mother would take me there before school, and we’d buy a loaf still hot from the oven.
Every Sunday, my father would take us to the countryside. We used to have picnics by the river and feed the ducks. Life seemed simple and peaceful. There weren’t many cars then, and children used to play safely in the streets until sunset. After dinner, families would sit outside, chatting and watching the stars.
Now, when I visit my hometown, everything looks different. The bakery is gone, replaced by a supermarket. The river is still there, but the air isn’t as clean as it used to be. People seem too busy to stop and talk. Children stay indoors, playing video games instead of climbing trees or riding bicycles.
Sometimes I miss the old days. They remind me of a time when life was slower and people cared more about each other. We didn’t have much, but we were happy. Those memories will always stay with me — the sound of laughter, the smell of bread, and the warmth of summer evenings.
1 Where did the narrator grow up?
(a) In a big city
(b) In a small town
(c) In the countryside
2 What surrounded the town?
(a) Mountains and rivers
(b) Hills and rivers
(c) Forests and lakes
3 What was on the corner near the narrator’s home?
(a) A grocery store
(b) A bakery
(c) A post office
4 What did the bakery sell?
(a) Cakes
(b) Cookies
(c) Warm bread
5 Who took the narrator to the bakery?
(a) His father
(b) His mother
(c) His sister
6 When did they usually go to the bakery?
(a) Before school
(b) After lunch
(c) In the evening
7 How did the bread smell?
(a) Sweet and warm
(b) Old and dry
(c) Cold and plain
8 What did the family do every Sunday?
(a) Went to the countryside
(b) Stayed at home
(c) Visited friends
9 What did they do by the river?
(a) Fished
(b) Fed the ducks
(c) Picked flowers
10 How was life described during that time?
(a) Busy and noisy
(b) Simple and peaceful
(c) Boring and slow
11 What was rare at that time?
(a) Bicycles
(b) Cars
(c) Shops
12 Where did children play?
(a) In the park
(b) In the garden
(c) In the streets
13 Until when did children usually play outside?
(a) Midnight
(b) Sunset
(c) Dinner time
14 What did families do after dinner?
(a) Watched TV
(b) Sat outside and talked
(c) Went shopping
15 What did they watch in the sky?
(a) Birds
(b) Stars
(c) Fireworks
16 What replaced the bakery later?
(a) A library
(b) A supermarket
(c) A school
17 What has happened to the air in the town?
(a) It’s cleaner
(b) It’s worse
(c) It’s the same
18 What do people seem to lack now?
(a) Time to talk
(b) Money
(c) Friends
19 What do children do now instead of playing outside?
(a) Read books
(b) Play video games
(c) Sleep early
20 How does the narrator feel about the past?
(a) Indifferent
(b) Nostalgic
(c) Angry
21 What does the narrator miss the most?
(a) Quiet mornings
(b) The old days
(c) His job
22 What made people happy back then?
(a) Having wealth
(b) Having technology
(c) Simple things
23 What stayed the same in the town?
(a) The bakery
(b) The river
(c) The playground
24 What replaced the friendly atmosphere of the past?
(a) Busyness
(b) Laziness
(c) Sadness
25 What is one sensory memory the narrator mentions?
(a) The smell of bread
(b) The color of the hills
(c) The sound of traffic
26 What time of year does the narrator remember fondly?
(a) Winter nights
(b) Summer evenings
(c) Spring mornings
27 Which word best describes the narrator’s tone?
(a) Angry
(b) Reflective
(c) Confused
28 What contrast does the passage highlight?
(a) Country vs. city life
(b) Past vs. present life
(c) Work vs. leisure
29 What feeling does the narrator express about the changes?
(a) Happiness
(b) Regret
(c) Excitement
30 What theme does the passage mainly express?
(a) The loss of simplicity in modern life
(b) The importance of money
(c) The need for technology
Answer
1 (b) – The text says “the small town where I grew up.”
2 (b) – “Surrounded by green hills and clear rivers.”
3 (b) – “There used to be a little bakery on the corner.”
4 (c) – “Sold warm bread every morning.”
5 (b) – “My mother would take me there.”
6 (a) – “Before school.”
7 (a) – “The smell of fresh bread filled the air.”
8 (a) – “My father would take us to the countryside.”
9 (b) – “We used to have picnics by the river and feed the ducks.”
10 (b) – “Life seemed simple and peaceful.”
11 (b) – “There weren’t many cars then.”
12 (c) – “Children used to play safely in the streets.”
13 (b) – “Until sunset.”
14 (b) – “Families would sit outside, chatting.”
15 (b) – “Watching the stars.”
16 (b) – “The bakery is gone, replaced by a supermarket.”
17 (b) – “The air isn’t as clean as it used to be.”
18 (a) – “People seem too busy to stop and talk.”
19 (b) – “Children stay indoors, playing video games.”
20 (b) – The narrator misses the past → nostalgic tone.
21 (b) – “Sometimes I miss the old days.”
22 (c) – “We didn’t have much, but we were happy.”
23 (b) – “The river is still there.”
24 (a) – “People seem too busy…”
25 (a) – Mentions “the smell of bread.”
26 (b) – “The warmth of summer evenings.”
27 (b) – Reflective and nostalgic tone.
28 (b) – The passage contrasts past and present life.
29 (b) – Expresses regret and longing.
30 (a) – Central theme: loss of simplicity and connection.